Collapsible funnel



E. E. GUSTAFSON. COLLAPSIBLE FUNNEL. APPLICATION man mAY14,1s2o.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921;.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

un a 1 s C w m E. E. GUSTAFSUN.

ACOLLAPSIBLE FUNNEL.

APPLICATION FAILED MAY14, 1:??0. Patented Apr. 59

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COLLAPSIBLE FUNNEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

Application filed May 14, 1920. Serial No. 381,387.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, ELMER E. GUs'iAFsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sullivan, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Funnels; and I do hereby declare the following` to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in funnels and has for its primary object the provision of a collapsible device adapted to be positioned within the filling spout or neck of a radiator when not in use and which may be readily lifted outwardly of the spout or neck and spread so that iuid may be easily poured "into the radiator and also the device may be used in connection with other parts of an automobile for directingfluid into restricted or small openings.

Another obgect of this invention is the provision of a plurality of pivotally connected members to form the walls of the device which members may 'be easily and quickly folded or extended in relation to cach other so as to provide an extremely compact device when folded and to provide va device of considerable size when extended so that a comparatively large volume of iiuid may be poured.

A further object of this invention is the provision of means for preventing the members fromseparating from each other when extended. i

A still further object vof this invention is the provision of a collapsible funnel ofthe above stated character, which shall be simple, durable, and eliicient, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost. V

Vith these and other objects in view as will become more 'apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which n igure 1 is a sectional view illustrating the filling spout of an automobile radiator lug. 5 is `a similar view illustrating one of the side walls.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view, illustrating the lugs for limiting the movement ofthe plates constituting the sides of the funnel.

Fig. 8 is afragmentary bottom plan viewV illustrating the saine.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates a funnel including side and end walls and saidside walls are constructed from plates 2, 3, 1, `5 and 6 and the end walls are constructed from plates 7, 8, and 9. The plates 7 and 9 of the end walls are formed integrally with the plates 2 and 6 of the side walls andare constructed from angle irons, The plates of the' side walls are pivotally connected at one of their ends as illustrated at 10 while' the plates of the end walls arepivotally connected at one of their ends as illustrated at 11,tliereby providing a construction wherein the plates of the side andend walls may be folded one over the other to `form a very compact device which will fit within the filling neck or spout 13 of a radiator 14 of an antoniobile, and the plates 8 of the end'walls have formed upon their upper ends clips or supporting members 15 adapted to engage the annular shoulder 16 formed within the filling spout or neck of the radiator 14 for the purpose of preventing the funnel 1 from falling downwardly within said radiator.

When desiring to ll the radiator 14 with fluid, the funnel 1 is lifted until the pivots 11 and 10 are in a plane slightly above the annular shoulder 16 of the filling spout or neck 13 and the plates forming the side and end walls are extended or swung `on their pivots to unfold the device and to form a y funnel as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 respectively. When the device is in the position as shown in said figures, fluid can then be easily poured into the filling neck or spout Cri of the radiator. The pivots l and l1 hold the plates of the side and end Walls in trictional contact with each other so that when the device is unfolded and ready for use,v a comparatively tight connection is A estal lished .between said plates o members to prevent the Huid from escaping between Vsaid plates during its passage through the funnel.

rVlie plates 8 of the end Walls have formed on their pivoted ends inwardlyY and outwardly directed tongues or stops l@ and 18. rlhe tongues or stops la', are adapted `to limit the movement or the plates 7' from the platesS While the tongues or stops le are adapted to limit the movement of the plates 9 from the plates Sthns preventingvthe plates of the end Walls from separating when the device is in an operativeposition.

rllhe plates it and 5 have stops 19 and the stop on the plate 4 is engaged by the plate 5 While the stop on the latter engages the plate 6. ylhe plates e and 3 are provided with stops 20 and the stop 20 on the plate 4 is engaged by the plate 3 and the stop 20 on the plate 3 is engaged by the plate 2, thus the stops 19 and 20 limit themovement ,of the plates 2, 3, ll, 5, and 6 Vwith respect toeach othenand thereby prevent separation of the plates When the device is in opjerative position and which Will permit of necting the plates of said Walls together and means formed on'some of the plates of said Walls and adapted to engage the 'other plates of said Walls to limit the movement of the plates away from each other.

2. A funnel comprising a body including side and end Walls, a plurality of separable .in presence of tivo Witnesses.

tioned to lie one over the other and swingV to extend radiallywtrom their pivots, and means for limitingl the movement ot said plates radially.

i collapsible funnel' comprising side and end Walls, each including` plates, pivots connecting` the` plates of each Wall together at theirlower ends and adapted vto allow the plates of each Wall to be positioned one over the .other Yand ,to swing ink a direction away from'each other, means limiting the movement of' said plates. H

collapsible tunnel comprising side and end Walls, each including a plurality of plates,said end walls having` a smaller numher of plates thantheV side. Walls, pivots .connecting the lower .ends of the plates of each Wall and adapted to'permit the plates to be positioned one over the other so as to extend parallel with f each other, said plates adapted to besvvung radially from their pivots with their edges in overlapping relation, and stopscarried by some or saidY plates V@teach Wall and adapted-to engage other plates when movedrto extendmadially from their pivots.

A funnel comprisinga body including side and end WallsV consisting of plates, means pivotally connecting the plates of each Wall, the end plates ofV each wall being formed integrally with the end plates of the adjacent wall, and stops carried by some of the plates of each `Wall for limiting the Vmovement of said plates with relation to each other.

'In testimonywhereofl aiiif-i my signature ELMER E. GUSTAFSON. Witnesses: Y f A VARTHUR Gris'ranson, I Oscar GosTAFsoN.- 

